Gallego, Ross, Schakowsky, Matsui, Sewell, and 130+ House Democrats Call on Leadership to Advance Appropriations Bills Free of Poison Pill Riders
During government funding impasse, lawmakers are urging leadership to advance clean funding bills free of contentious provisions.
Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Terri Sewell (AL-07), led 139 House Democrats in a letter to House and Appropriations Committee leadership requesting that they advance responsible appropriations legislation free of poison pill provisions and adequately fund non-defense discretionary programs at the caps agreed to in the bipartisan debt ceiling package. The letter comes as House Republicans continue to hijack the appropriations process in attempts to enact harmful, extreme policies.
Proposed riders would ban mifepristone, block efforts to reduce gun violence, enable discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, and more. Click here for examples of the hundreds of contentious provisions offered to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills.
Gallego and his fellow lawmakers wrote: “Bogging down the appropriations process with controversial policy debates will create another damaging political impasse. Given our country’s many ongoing challenges and urgent needs, the House of Representatives must work cooperatively to complete the appropriations process in a timely manner. Clean funding bills – free of contentious poison pill riders – represent the best path forward as we work to fulfill our duty to the American people to keep the federal government running.”
Furthermore, House Republicans continue to push leadership to lower non-defense discretionary spending caps set by the bipartisan debt ceiling package. The lawmakers are urging leadership to adhere to the guidelines mandated by this bipartisan deal.